Dental calculus, or tartar as it is sometimes called, is a deposit which forms on the surface of the teeth at the gingival margin. Supraginival calculus appears principally in the areas near the orifices of the salivary ducts; e.g., on the lingual surfaces of the lower anterior teeth and on the buccal surfaces of the upper first and second molars, and on the distal surfaces of the posterior molars.
Mature calculus consists of an inorganic portion which is largely calcium phosphate arranged in a hydroxyapatite crystal lattice structure similar to bone, enamel, and dentine. An organic portion is also present and consists of desquamated epithelial cells, leukocytes, salivary sediment, food debris, and various types of microorganisms.
As the mature calculus develops, it becomes visibly white or yellowish in color unless stained or discolored by some extraneous agent. This is undesirable from an aesthetic standpoint.
Mechanical removal of calculus periodically by the dentist is routine dental office procedure. A variety of chemical and biological agents have also been suggested to retard calculus formation or to remove calculus after it is formed. Pyrophosphate salts are chemical agents known to have the ability to retard calculus formation as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,184, to Parran, Jr. et al., issued Mar. 12, 1991, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Agents used to retard the growth of tartar may cause increased oral desquamation levels. To keep the desquamation levels at an acceptable level, the amount of surfactant or amount of surfactant and tartar control agent is lowered. The lowering of the amount of surfactant results in decreased foam levels, which commonly causes negative aesthetics due to the lower foam levels experienced during brushing.
It has been discovered by the present inventors that oral tartar control compositions can be formulated with a combination of surfactants which increase consumer acceptance by increasing foaming levels while maintaining acceptable oral desquamation levels. It has also been discovered that these compositions can also contain an alkali metal bicarbonate salt and xylitol, while maintaining the improved level of foaming.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tartar control composition which contains a combination of surfactants. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a consumer acceptable tartar control composition which does not increase oral desquamation levels.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.
All percentages and ratios used are by weight of the total composition, and all measurements are made at 25.degree. C., unless otherwise specified.